Just Help One- TODAY!

NAHU Region 8 asks you to just help one person today if you can. Make a call, mow a lawn, deliver a meal…whatever you can do. On social media, use #justhelpone to post comments and photos. Need inspiration? Check out this video of LAAHU members John Antonioli with Ross Pendergraft and five others at Providence St. Josephs Hospital. The team provided 100 lunches to the ER staff of Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank.

Do You Need Help?

NAHU has developed a way for members in need to apply for assistance and for others to donate to help. See more info here.

Reopening Guidelines

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidelines for reopening schools, businesses and more. Go here.

People Unable to Enroll in Medicare Due to COVID-19 Now Have Extra Time
People who were unable to enroll in Medicare during the normal enrollment periods due to the COVID-19 pandemic, now have extra time. California Health Advocates and others were integral in advocating for this time. The extra time, referred to by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as “equitable relief”, is for enrolling in Medicare Part B, premium-free Part A or refusing automatic Part B enrollment. People may be eligible for this equitable relief if they were unable to enroll in Medicare Part A or Part B because of delays and problems accessing the Social Security Administration (SSA) to file an application or enrollment, as a result of the unexpected, pandemic-induced closure of field offices. This extra time/equitable relief is retroactive to March 17, 2020 and extends 3 months through June 17, 2020. In addition, CMS announced that the Special Enrollment Period (SEP) they have for beneficiaries affected by a FEMA-declared weather-related emergency or other major disaster, is now applicable for COVID-19. This means that people who missed an opportunity to change their Medicare Advantage and/or Part D plans due to the COVID pandemic, now have a SEP to make a change. This SEP is available nationwide to beneficiaries of all states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia effective March 1, 2020 and runs through June 30, 2020. Anyone who has questions or needs assistance with either the SEP for Part D and MA plans or equitable relief/extra time to enroll in Medicare Part A or B, can contact their local Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.

Covered Cal Sees 123k+ Enroll

Covered California announced this week that 123,810 people had enrolled in health care coverage since the exchange announced a special-enrollment period in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pace of sign-ups during this time has been nearly 2.5 times higher than the level seen during the same period in 2019.

Thanks, National African American Insurance Association!

Thank you to our friends at the National African American Insurance Association. We recently sat in on an excellent presentation by Dr. Syretta R. James on strategies to address anxiety, stress, depression and work-life balance amid the COVID-19 pandemic. NAAIA and its regional chapters have many upcoming Zoom seminars. Please check out NAAIA’s website. You can also access NAAIA’s recorded Zoom webinars, including Dr. James’s presentation, here.

Don’t forget LAAHU’s Zoom Happy Hour Today 4 p.m.

This is an excellent way to stay connected to colleagues. Register here.

Dialogue on Diversity

IICF is offering Dialogue for Diversity Live! June 25 at 1 p.m. PT. More info and registration here.

LIFE

LIMRA Study: Agent Recruiting Continues During Pandemic

LIMRA reached out to U.S. and Canadian agency-building companies regarding their recruiting efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and the challenges and strategies around it.

All of the companies surveyed are still recruiting agents. Despite the challenges with getting newer agents licensed, 65% of companies are not focusing on more experienced agents. To compensate for social distancing guidelines, most companies are using virtual platforms such as Zoom to engage with candidates.

Companies are training and sourcing candidates in both new and traditional ways. They’re currently using more virtual conferencing, telephone interviews and virtual classrooms, while also continuing to use traditional methods like Zip Recruiter, LinkedIn, and Indeed.

In some cases, companies have had to delay the start dates for inexperienced agents who still needed to pass exams in order to sell insurance. Most companies, however, have continued to onboard new recruits.

“Some states have allowed for temporary licenses and companies are taking advantage of this,” says Margaret Honan, assistant research director, LIMRA. “Others are continuing to have non-licensed candidates focus on studying in order to be ready to test once it’s possible.”

When it comes to keeping business and recruiting going, many companies are looking at increasing the use of digital signatures for submission of business.

Even though they can’t meet face-to-face, companies are keeping candidates involved in the process through frequent check-ins, virtual meetings, and phone calls.

“Many companies have a dedicated support team that keeps in contact with candidates throughout the process,” Honan says.

With the health crisis of the pandemic, there is a heightened awareness around the financial services industry and the protection products they can provide for Americans. It’s important that insurance companies continue recruiting agents to be prepared to serve the needs of consumers both now and once the pandemic is over.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

The National Association for Fixed Annuities Webinars
Click the links for more info and registration:

MEDICARE

AmeriLife, a leader in marketing and distributing life, health and retirement solutions, has acquired an interest in Pinnacle Financial Services, one of the largest full-service health, life, annuity and long-term care national marketing organizations providing financial products and services for individuals, businesses and their employees. AmeriLife, with nearly 50 years of providing Medicare solutions, and Pinnacle, a leader in insurance and financial products sales, are joining forces to leverage their combined resources to provide the large and rapidly growing Medicare market with holistic planning solutions. This transaction – along with Jack Schroeder and Associates and Stephens-Matthews – further expands AmeriLife’s capabilities and distribution reach to meet the Medicare and life insurance needs of America’s retirees.

DENTAL

Anthem Blue Cross Announces Ortho@Home for Convenient and Affordable Access to Orthodontic Benefits from Home

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield (Anthem) announced the launch of Ortho@Home, a teledentistry and at-home orthodontia program. Available to Anthem Dental’s Prime and Complete networks, the service integrates seamlessly with orthodontic network provider options and includes discounts of up to $200 off retail pricing. Anthem is one of the first payors to announce network coverage of at-home orthodontia solutions overseen remotely by licensed dentists. Consumers with orthodontic benefits will have access to at-home clear aligner therapy, remote oversight of care, teeth whitening, and retainers at completion of treatment with an average cost up to 60 percent less than traditional orthodontia and three times faster. This offering helps improve member access to orthodontic care – especially in rural areas where over half of the counties in the United States do not have access to orthodontists’ offices. This new, lower-cost option for orthodontia adds convenience, creating more accessibility for Anthem members to get orthodontic care. In most cases, members will pay less than $1,000 out of pocket after the orthodontic benefit is applied. Members may also use spending accounts including FSA, HSA, and HRAs.

EVENTS

NAAHU Annual Convention will be Virtual in June

National Association of Health Underwriters announced its annual convention will now be virtual and take place on June 28-30, 2020. More info at NAHU’s website.

LAAHU Annual Sales Symposium will be Virtual in July

LAAHU’s AdapTech annual conference will now be virtual on Friday, July 17, 2020. More info at LAAHU’s website.